Kujukushima Islands, located at the westernmost tip of the Japanese mainland in Kyushu, are a picturesque scenic spot consisting of a complex ria coastline and 208 large and small islands. There are only four inhabited islands: Kuroshima, Takashima, Maejima, and Todomari Island, and almost the entire area was designated as the Saikai National Park in 1955. There is Kujukushima Islands pleasure boat, departing from Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort.            

Kujukushima Islands…の続きを読む

  This Church is house of prayer for tens of thousands Christians who were martyred between 1612 and 1658 throughout the Shimabara Peninsula.   It was built in 1997 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the martyrdom of 26 Japanese Saints and the 360th anniversary of the Shimabara Rebellion. The Cathedral is a beautiful octagonal building with a large octagonal dome.      

Shimabara Church…の続きを読む

  This is a church with Gaudi-style twin tower designed by Kenjiro Imai, built next to the Nishizaka Martyrdom site   When there was a plan to build a memorial hall for the 26 Japanese Saints next to Nishizaka Martyrdon site, a large donation was made from Mexico, and the Church was built in 1962. This church is dedicated to Mexican Filippo de Jesus, who is one of the 26 Saints. Filippo de Jesus was a Franciscan Catholic missionary who became one of the 26 Martyrs of Japan, the first Mexican Saint.      

Saint Filippo de Jesus Church ( Japan 26…の続きを読む

  Father Maximilian Kolbe was born in Poland in 1894 and was a priest of the Conventual Order of St. Francis. He had been active in promoting the veneration of the Immaculate Virgin Mary. He came to Japan in 1930 and began educating seminarians and publishing a monthly magazine ” the veneration of the Immaculate Virgin Mary.” After that, the number of Japanese people who understood God’s teachings increased, and Hongouchi Church was established in 1931.   After six years in Japan, he returned to Poland for health reasons. And then, he volunteered to die in place of a man named Franciszek Gajowniczek in the German death camp of Auschwitz, located in German-occupied Poland.   Saint Kolbe Memorial Museum was built to commemorate his canonization in 1986.      

Saint Kolbe Memorial Museum, at Hongouch…の続きを読む

  Nakamachi Church is located near JR Nagasaki Station which was constructed for Japanese Christians in 1986. The church was dedicated to the 16 Saints of Nagasaki (St. Thomas and the 15 Martyrs) in 1988, and the monument honoring them was erected in the premise. The 16 Saints were martyred in Nagasaki from 1633 to 1637.     The 16 martyrs became Saints in 1987, since 26 Saint.   Dominic Ibáñez de Erquicia Pérez de Lete, Spanish, 1633, Dominican Priest Antonio Gonzalez, Spanish, 1637, Dominican Priest Jordan Ansalone, Italian, 1634, Dominican Priest Luke of the Holy Spirit Alonso Gorda, Spanish, 1633, Dominican Priest Michael de Aozaraza, Spanish, 1637, Dominican Priest Guillaume Courtet, French, 1637, Dominican Priest Jacobo Kyushei Gorōbyōe Tomonaga de Santa María, Japanese, 1633, Dominican Priest Thomas Rokuzayemon Nishi, Japanese, 1634, Dominican Priest  Vincent Shiwozuka, Japanese, 1637, Dominican Priest Francis Shōyemon, Japanese, 1633 Matthew Kohioye, Japanese, 1633 Lorenzo Ruiz, Filipino, 1637 Marina of Omura, Japanese, 1634 Magdalene of Nagasaki, Japanese, 1634 Michael Kurobioye, Japanese, 1633 Lazarus of Kyoto, Japanese, 1637    

Nakamachi Church…の続きを読む

  The Nagasaki Electric Tramway provides a convenient and affordable way to travel around the main attractions of Nagasaki City.   No matter how far you travel, the adult fare for a single journey is always 150 yen. A one-day pass offering unlimited rides for 600 yen is also available for purchase at major information centers, hotels, and through a smartphone app (but not on board the trams).   Announcements and signs both on trams and at the stops are available in English, making it easy to find which tram you need to take and where to get off.    

Tram in Nagasaki…の続きを読む

  Japan’s oldest public golf course.  Opened in 1913, the oldest public course in Japan, and second oldest golf course after the Kobe Golf Club, which opened in 1903. Moreover, Unzen has been designated as Japan’s first national park in 1934, and the golf course has been popular among people both Japanese and foreigner as the national park’s main facility.     The course is a hilly course at an elevation of 750m, and at the time of its construction, there were no machines. This historical, hand-made course, integrated with nature, has small undulations on the fairway.  There is also an authentic short 9 hole course as well. Only 3 minutes by car from the Onsen town, it is especially cool in the summertime, and can be enjoyed throughout the four seasons while appreciating nature.    

Unzen Golf Course…の続きを読む

  I want to save people in the Sotome from poor life. Former Shitsu Aid Centeris indispensable in talking about the history and culture of the region. In 1879, Father Marc Marie de Rotz, a French missionary who has been assigned to the Sotome, has a variety of farming, fishing, medical, and educational programs to save local residents from plight. I did an activity.   Former Shitsu Aid Center is a delivery facility for women, in 1883. It was founded with the cooperation of members of the Church of St. Joseph, which was founded and trained by the Father himself. In 2003 in 12, some of these facilities were designated as nationally designated important cultural properties as the remains of valuable birth and welfare facilities in the early Meiji period.        

Former Shitsu Aid Center…の続きを読む

              Built in 1882 by Father de Rotz, this low-ceiling church features a brick exterior, wood interior and stone entranceway.  The roof itself is low in order to limit damage done by strong winds. The church’s bell was brought here from France by a priest and rings out beautifully every morning.  The location is famous as the place where the movie “Gege” was filmed.      

Shitsu Church…の続きを読む

  After the discovery of the numerous hidden Christians in Ikitsuki Island in 1865, they began to work on recovering their Catholic faith although they were not too successful at first. Then in 1878, a priest named Fr. Pelu came to Hirado and baptized many people who are said to be the ancestors of the churchgoers of Yamada Church today.   The butterfly-wing decorations adorning the wall surface of the church interior was personally made and painted on by the priest at the time, and the mosaic-like paintings are made from actually, ground butterfly wings. These are considered as one of the church’s “seven sacraments.” In 1981, St. Thomas Nishi along with 15 other martyrs were beatified in the Philippines. St.Thomas was later canonized and a statue of him was built in commemoration of his canonization, in a garden in Ikitsuki.      

Yamada Church…の続きを読む